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Man Utd want to modernise and streamline their approach to recruitment (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United chief Ed Woodward has made RB Leipzig head of recruitment Paul Mitchell his number one choice to become the club’s new sporting director.

The Red Devils are looking to revamp their structure behind-the-scenes, with axed boss Jose Mourinho frequently criticising the football department, and Woodward wants the new hire to have a say in appointing the next permanent manager at Old Trafford.

Having looked at a number of candidates, The Sun report that Mitchell is the standout target and they will try to prise him away from Leipzig.

Mitchell has been in Germany with Leipzig for almost a year (Picture: PA)

Crucially, Mitchell has known Mauricio Pochettino – the favourite to get the United job despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s excellent job as caretaker boss – since they were together at Southampton.

Mitchell was responsible for signing the likes of Dejan Lovren and Sadio Mane, and he promptly followed Pochettino to Tottenham were he brought in Toby Alderweireld and Son Heung-min, among others.